Reno didn’t roll the dice on Nevada’s Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year when it had the chance to recruit him wo years ago.
CJ Shaw made the University of Nevada pay for playing the pass line.
The sophomore guard was the high roller for UC Santa Barbara in its 76-63 victory over the Wolfpack in a battle of unbeaten teams at the Thunderdome on Wednesday.
Shaw, a 6-foot-5 sophomore from Las Vegas’ Mojave High School, scored eight of his team-high 20 points in the final 4½ minutes to help the Gauchos stave off Nevada’s big, second-half comeback.
“I was definitely more of a UNLV fan,” Shaw said. “I didn’t get recruited by UN.”
The signature win over Nevada (2-1), which received votes in this week’s Associated Press coaches’ poll, improved UCSB’s record to 3-0.
“I think it was the most important game because it was the one that we played tonight,” Aidan Mahaney said after contributing 12 points and four assists to the Gauchos’ victory. “It definitely was nice … for me at least.
“But as far as this game having any bigger implications than the one we have on Sunday (at 1 p.m. against UC Merced), you know every game is worth one.”
Nevada did roll into the Thunderdome with the momentum of Sunday’s 96-95, overtime victory over Saint Mary’s — Mahaney’s old school — in a neutral site game at Lake Tahoe.
But the Gauchos’ smothering defense brought the Wolfpack to a full stop during the first 18 minutes of Wednesday’s game.
Nevada made just five of its first 24 shots, missing eight of its nine three-point tries, to fall behind by 17 points.
Threes by Antonio Chol and Mahaney, a steal-turned-layup by Shaw, and Koat Keat Tong’s layup off RJ Smith’s driving pass gave UCSB a 35-18 lead with 2:43 left in the first half.
“We’ve brought in a lot of new pieces, and to see how they all fit in was nice,” Mahaney said. “RJ Smith was a plus-16 on the box score, which is huge, even though he didn’t have a crazy-number game.
“KK, who’s been here for five years, was big time with eight rebounds. V (Viljami Vartiainen) was really good, too.
“So just seeing a lot of guys step up was huge for us.”
Nevada did make three of its last four shots of the first half. Keyon Kensie Jr. beat the buzzer with a driving basket.
But Marvin McGhee IV limited the damage with an impactful final 64 seconds of the period.
He hit a corner three off Miro Little’s driving pass before adding a pair of free throws. He scored all nine of his points in the last nine-plus minutes of the first half.
UCSB out-shot Nevada (48.2% to 28.6%), out-rebounded it (18-to-17), and committed less turnovers (4-to-7) in the first 20 minutes.
But the Wolfpack shot 50% in the second half while reducing a deficit that grew as large as 18 points to as little as six.
“We had a terrific first half,” UCSB coach Joe Pasternack said. “Our guys were really ratcheted up and held them to 28% from the field.
“Unfortunately our team has to learn how to play for 40 minutes. We don’t know how to do that right now — it’s a major issue.
“They came back, and with a vengeance.”
The Gauchos were cold to start the second half, missing four straight shots and committing a turnover during an early, 7-0 run by Nevada.
Mahaney had to hit a step-back three-pointer late in UCSB’s next possession to stop the bleeding.
“With the shot clock winding down and whatnot, it was either gonna go in or it was gonna be an air ball,” he said. “So thankfully today it was going in.
“You know I appreciate our guys swinging it over to me.”
Smith scored off a pair of drives and Mahaney added another during a six-point spree that gave the Gauchos their biggest lead of the game, 51-33. Smith contributed five rebounds and four assists off the bench.
But UCSB made just one field goal — Mahaney’s baseline floater — and three free throws during the next eight minutes.
Nevada’s Styles Phipps led Nevada’s comeback by scoring 12 of his 20 points in a span of just five minutes. His two foul shots reduced the Gaucho lead to 58-52 with 5:07 to go.
“Styles Phipps is a great player,” Pasternack said. “They beat Saint Mary’s in overtime on Sunday, and he took over at the end of that game.
“We had no answer for him.”
At least defensively. But Shaw provided the reply on offense.
He was spurred on after missing a free throw in a bonus situation with 8:49 remaining.
“It did mess me up a little bit … but I mean, just next play,” Shaw said. “Obviously, just help my team and do as best as I can to get everyone involved.”
He scored eight straight points for UCSB in a span of just 76 seconds. He started the outburst with a double-pump runner and then added a short bank shot off Smith’s pass 40 seconds later.
“CJ is a big-time player,” Pasternack said. “He attacked the rim like he’s capable of, and I thought he did a really nice job both on offense and defense.”
He capped his outburst with four straight free throws to put UCSB ahead 68-55 with 2:57 remaining.
Little didn’t let an tough shooting night of 1-for-7 and an uncharacteristic five turnovers rattle him down the stretch. He made eight straight free throws in the final 2:08 to finish with 12 points and thwart Nevada’s final push.
“Miro Little didn’t play very well tonight, but he went 10-of-10 from the line when it mattered,” Pasternack said. “He was unbelievable at the free throw line, and we did make 25-for-30 (as a team).
“We don’t do that, we don’t win this game.”
The Gauchos wound up outshooting the Wolfpack 43.1% to 39.7% and winning the rebound battle 35-32.
Eric Dibami, a 6-10 sophomore transfer from Florida International, had eight rebounds and two blocks despite being limited by foul trouble to just 18 minutes.
“Give Nevada credit, they’re an NCAA tournament team, I believe,” Pasternack said. “I think they’re the best team in the Mountain West.
“But we have to learn how to be disciplined and compete and not play the scoreboard.
“So, with that — great win for our team, our program, these guys — but we have to get back to work and figure out how we can be disciplined to compete for 40 minutes.”